In a lush tale of passion and betrayal, Ariadne, duty bound to the goddess Artemis as high priestess of Crete defies her destiny in this modern twist on the mythic tale. Women are not always helpless here, and the men not always misogynous.

Ariadne, high priestess of Crete, grew up duty-bound to the goddess Artemis. If she takes a husband, she must sacrifice him to her goddess after no more than three years of marriage. For this reason, she refuses to love any man, until a mysterious stranger arrives on her island.

The stranger is Dionysus, the new god of wine, who empowers women and breaks the rules of the old gods. He came to Crete seeking vengeance against Artemis. He never expected to fall in love.

Furious that Dionysus would dare meddle with her high priestess, Artemis threatens to kill Ariadne if Dionysus doesn''t abandon her. Heartbroken, the new god leaves Crete, vowing to become better than the Olympians.

From the bloody labyrinth and the shadows of Hades to the halls of Olympus, Dionysus must find a way to defy Artemis and unite with his true love. Forced to betray her people, Ariadne discovers her own power to choose between the goddess she pledged herself to and the god she loves.

Neil''s retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche is a sensuous feast. Mesmerizing!

-Mia Hopkins, author of Thirsty.

For fans of The Song of Achilles and Hotter than Hades comes an unforgettable story of sacrifice, sensuality and monsters, both seen and unseen...

The celebrated beauty of Roman princess Psyche has enraged Venus, the Goddess of Love. As punishment, Psyche is left naked on the beach to be sacrificed to a monster. When Cupid, the God of Love, swoops her up and flies her to the monster''s palace, Psyche mistakenly wraps her legs around his waist, looks into his eyes, and falls in love.

Blindfolded and tied to a bed, Psyche awaits the monster, vowing to be brave as she faces death. Yet when the monster arrives, he marries her on the condition she never see his face. As she grows to love her shadow husband, she can''t stop thinking about the God of Love. Consumed by curiosity, Psyche breaks her promise by lighting a lamp. Awaking in a rage, and furious with her betrayal, her husband banishes her from the palace.

Psyche begs Venus for another chance at love. Unmoved, Venus demands Psyche perform three impossible tasks. If Psyche succeeds, her husband will return. If she fails, she will be condemned to death.

In a lush tale of passion and betrayal, Ariadne, duty bound to the goddess Artemis as high priestess of Crete defies her destiny in this modern twist on the mythic tale. Women are not always helpless here, and the men not always misogynous.

Ariadne, high priestess of Crete, grew up duty-bound to the goddess Artemis. If she takes a husband, she must sacrifice him to her goddess after no more than three years of marriage. For this reason, she refuses to love any man, until a mysterious stranger arrives on her island.

The stranger is Dionysus, the new god of wine, who empowers women and breaks the rules of the old gods. He came to Crete seeking vengeance against Artemis. He never expected to fall in love.

Furious that Dionysus would dare meddle with her high priestess, Artemis threatens to kill Ariadne if Dionysus doesn''t abandon her. Heartbroken, the new god leaves Crete, vowing to become better than the Olympians.

From the bloody labyrinth and the shadows of Hades to the halls of Olympus, Dionysus must find a way to defy Artemis and unite with his true love. Forced to betray her people, Ariadne discovers her own power to choose between the goddess she pledged herself to and the god she loves.

Neil''s retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche is a sensuous feast. Mesmerizing!

-Mia Hopkins, author of Thirsty.

For fans of The Song of Achilles and Hotter than Hades comes an unforgettable story of sacrifice, sensuality and monsters, both seen and unseen...

The celebrated beauty of Roman princess Psyche has enraged Venus, the Goddess of Love. As punishment, Psyche is left naked on the beach to be sacrificed to a monster. When Cupid, the God of Love, swoops her up and flies her to the monster''s palace, Psyche mistakenly wraps her legs around his waist, looks into his eyes, and falls in love.

Blindfolded and tied to a bed, Psyche awaits the monster, vowing to be brave as she faces death. Yet when the monster arrives, he marries her on the condition she never see his face. As she grows to love her shadow husband, she can''t stop thinking about the God of Love. Consumed by curiosity, Psyche breaks her promise by lighting a lamp. Awaking in a rage, and furious with her betrayal, her husband banishes her from the palace.

Psyche begs Venus for another chance at love. Unmoved, Venus demands Psyche perform three impossible tasks. If Psyche succeeds, her husband will return. If she fails, she will be condemned to death.